Chapter 123: The Swamp
The swarms of insects grew thicker as we left Viriden, relentless in their assault against my wards. Our path took us northward, straight through the heart of the swamp along a cobblestone road. The footing was treacherous, with many of the stones sinking into the mud beneath our feet, or entirely submerged altogether. Tall reeds and cattails towered alongside the road, and the stench of damp rot clogged permeated the air.
"Damn," Soltair cursed, his foot vanishing into the water as a stone gave way beneath him. "When was the last time they serviced this road?"
Trithe shook her head, stepping away from him as he shook the mud from his boot. "Repairs are rare here. Even with magic, it’s a strenuous process most cities can’t afford. In my father’s domain, we have a road similar to this, but the only attempt ended in disaster. Over half the workers were brought down by illness, and injuries were far too common."
Soltair, seeing that Trithe was about to go on, waved his hands dismissively. "Alright, I get it. I just wish things weren’t so boring. Aren’t swamps like this supposed to have lots of monsters or something?"
"At least we don’t have to contend with the insects," Fyren rumbled, glancing at me.
I nodded, taking his thanks as a reminder to check the wards. I’d modified the spell I created from the carriage, altering the effects to radiate out around me. This allowed our entire group protection from the bugs, assuming they remained close by.
Several miles from the city, the road fell into the mud entirely. Fortunately, the submerged stones kept the plants at bay, creating a clear, if muddy, trail.
"If only flying magic was a thing," Soltair grumbled. Brightening, he turned to me and asked, "Can’t you do something about that? You’re always inventing some new spell or magic, right?"
Trithe also glanced at me hopefully, but no matter how much I agreed, I could only shake my head. "I wouldn’t know where to start. The most I can do right now is modify spells I’m already familiar with. If we could find a book that explained the runes and magical theory behind it, I could probably piece it together. Until then?" I shrugged helplessly.